Here are 10 German car brands you’ve likely forgotten all about
- Germany is home to some very obscure car brands
- These brands produced everything from supercars to three-wheelers
- Many of these obscure brands are no longer in existence
Published on Apr 11, 2025 at 8:41 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Apr 14, 2025 at 2:18 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Henry Kelsall
Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, and Audi are the most famous of the German car brands at the moment.
But there are some that you may never have heard of, as a YouTube video from AutoLegenden has explained.
Some of the manufacturers in the video have long since disappeared, while others were responsible for some pretty powerful supercars.
It shows just how varied Germany’s automotive history has been, and it’s fascinating to see just how many of these manufacturers are no longer with us.
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Wiesmann is one of the most famous of the obscure German brands
Wiesmann is one of the most famous of the forgotten German manufacturers, famous for producing retro-looking sports cars.
BMW power is under the hood of the sports cars, which use British Roadster styling for the design.
The company was established in 1988 before disappearing in 2013 and then reappearing with an EV in 2018.
Melkus is another German sports car manufacturer, with the RS 1000 its most notable model.
The car was built in East Germany when sports cars were few and far between, and its gullwing doors certainly made it a striking-looking car.
Stoewer is one of the more obscure of the forgotten manufacturers, building luxurious cars in the 1920s and 1930s.
These are now some of the rarest cars in Germany and some of the most collectible.
Germany is littered with forgotten automotive manufacturers
Borgward is a brand that came and went twice, producing gorgeous sedans in the 1950s.
The Isabella was one of its most famous cars, with styling not too dissimilar to American cars.
Bankruptcy shut the brand down in the 1960s before a brief revival in 2015, followed by a quick disappearance again in 2022.
Goliath was one of the most understated companies in Germany, with its biggest success coming from the 1920s-1950s.
The GP700 was its standout product, with a game-changing two-stroke engine, before the brand disappeared in the 1960s.
Lloyd produced small, affordable cars in the 1950s, similar to the Volkswagen Beetle.
The cars were cheap, economical, and reasonably stylish, and it introduced automotive travel to a wider audience.
Lotec is one of Germany’s forgotten supercar manufacturers
Lotec was a manufacturer famous for some crazy supercars despite the modest size of the company.
The company started in the 1990s, with the Lotec C1000 making 1,000HP thanks to its 5.6-liter V8 engine.
Like the other manufacturers on this list, Lotec no longer exists.
Fend Flitzer made truly bizarre cars, which were basically motorcycles with a car body and three wheels.
The final manufacturers on this list are Isdera and Yes!
Isdera made some very exclusive supercars, with their Imperator 108i born out of the Mercedes CW 311 concept car of the 1970s.
Yes! meanwhile is perhaps the most obscure, producing a sports car built by young engineers. Neither manufacturer is with us today.
So if you thought you knew all of Germany’s automotive brands, this list might make you think twice!
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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
